Day 276 Microfibre cloths

As promised last week in one of my comment replies I am writing about microfibre cloths today. Now I am not intending to do any investigating of this but just write about how and what I use them for and why I think they are so great.

One of the main reasons I use microfibre is to cut down on the amount of chemicals while keeping a clean home. I am of the understanding that microfibre can remove up to 99% of germs off any surface using just water so that eliminates the need for disinfectants just for starters.

What I use my microfibre clothes for

Washing the Car – I use and Microfibre Outdoor mitt, a bucket, hose and water.

Rinse the car off with the hose to remove excess dirt and to soften bug crud and the like.

I fill the bucket with water to dip the mitt into.

Once the mitt is wet I commence washing the car using the usual plan of top to bottom , starting on the roof, then the glass, then one panel at a time rinsing with the hose as I go the remove the loosened grime.

I will use a large absorbent MF cloth to wipe the car dry when I am done.

No Shampoo required.

Glass Inside– I use a spray bottle of water and a glass mitt or any MF cloth will do.

Spray the glass with very little water.

I usually fold my cloth if not using the mitt

I wipe the glass clean with one side of the cloth/mitt and polish is dry with the other side.

No glass cleaner required.

Glass outside – Use outdoor mitt and car washing method

You can also buy microfibre glass cleaners with rubber blades which I believe are really good for this job. I have not used them though.

Once again the spray really isn’t necessary but it does make it easier to remove soap scum

I just use the cloth and a little water to clean the not so soap scummy areas like around the edge of the bath and outside the shower screen. Much the same method as glass cleaning.

For the soap scummy areas I spray with the all-purpose cleaner first and then use a damp cloth or the mitt to give a good scrub down then a once over with the cloth to polish off. Remember no to scrub hard as you flatten the fibres and render them less effective.

I do however use a little mould spray every now again if mould or mildew occur but the best way to avoid having to do this is to have a microfibre glass cleaner with the rubber blade and wipe the shower down every time you use it. Maybe it is time I gave that a try.

Dusting -A MC dust mitt or MC cloth and a spray bottle of water

All surfaces whether horizontal of vertical get dusty. I dust everything from my skirting boards to the pictures on the walls with microfibre

Usually I will spray the mitt/cloth with a very light mist of water to help the dust stick.

Then just wipe over the surface like any normal dusting job.

You can also buy dusters with extendable handles for hard to get at places including ceiling fans

I use the same method the clean all the stained wooden surfaces in my home such as the dining table but I will polish them dry because wood and water are not a good mix.. (I also polish these with Cedar oil occasionally).

Carpet spot cleaning– MC cloth and water spray bottle.

Spray the stain with a little water and wipe stain gently from every direction.

Wiping from every direction wipes the carpet fibres on all sides

Switch the cloth around so that you are using clean areas of the cloth as you proceed.

Use a dry cloth or a dry clean area of the cloth you used to clean with to dry up the area.

*If the stain is stubborn use a oxygen activated carpet spot cleaner. I actually cleaned nail polish off the carpet in my daughter’s bedroom once using this method and even I couldn’t believe the results. I did use nail polish remover to clean off the worst of the spill but I might mention that I found the stain several days after it had happened.

Clothing – I use MF clothes to wipe dust, deodorant and light stains of my clothes in order to get a second use out of them. Especially my work outfits.

Use a dry cloth to wipe dust off working in one direction only.

Use a slightly damp cloth for deodorant and stains.

This doesn’t work on all stains but is good if the clothes are dark in colour.

This post is becoming very long so I will finish here today and do a part II tomorrow or during the week sometime. In the meantime check out the Enjo Website . Don’t get me wrong though this is not an endorsement for Enjo simply because I think their products are far too pricey even if they are good quality but I will talk about that in Part II.

ITEM 276 OF 365 LESS THINGS

The pot holders mentioned on day 273

5 things I am grateful for today

Tea – I love a good cup of tea.

Other bloggers – Some soothe me with their sensitivity others inspire me with their words of wisdom while Bobbi @ Finding me in France gave me such a good belly laugh on Friday from a post she had written in August about not being well endowed that I almost rolled on to the floor.

Affordable domestic flights – Once upon a time we could only afford to drive everywhere and that could take days.

Continue reading with these posts:

Day 279 Microfibre Cloths Part IIBefore we get into the practical side of today's post I just want to make a comment about germs. I am not a "germaphobe" by any stretch of the imagination. I believe you don’t build up any […]

Putting NEED into prespectiveI was chatting with an acquaintance recently about clutter and being environmentally friendly and she chose to share a story with me. Below is my rendition of the story as I remember […]

Comments

Yes, how did we ever reheat meals decently without this magic box! Tastes like freshly made.

So happy to read about microfiber cloths and looking forward to part 2. I especially like the tips on how to use them with clothing, as I work short hours and like to get more than one wearing from my good clothes so that I’m not doing so much laundry and not wearing out the material by laundering.

Hi Jo,
I am glad you like the clothes cleaning tips. I agree with you, too much laundering only wears your clothes out prematurely. The more value I can get out of my clothes the more money I have to spend on the things I really enjoy.
Also stay tuned for Part II on microfibre because I will share my method for cleaning the microwave.

Hi Jude,
I am curious, what do you use instead of microfibre.
I agree with you about germs. I believe you don’t build up any immunity to them unless you are exposed to them. In fact I think that chemical companies thrive on putting the germ fear into people with their ridiculous advertising campaigns (don’t even get me started on that rant). I just like my house to look clean without using too many chemicals. Don’t give up on the idea of microfibre, I am not done yet, stay tuned for part II before you make your final decision. You have inspired me to work harder to be more convincing with my next MF post. I look forward to hearing your opinion when all the facts are out.

I am so glad you started the “5 Things I am Grateful for Today” section. It gives me much food for thought and gratefulness. All of the ones you mentioned today are things for which I am grateful also but never put into words. Thanks for the reminders to develop an “attitude of gratitude”.
Don’t you just love that Bobbi? She keeps me in stitches. Good blog to read if one is feeling down. Laughter is good for the soul.

Hi Di,
I am glad you are enjoying the “5 Things I am Grateful for Today” section. Developing an “attitude of gratitude” as you say was the exact reason I decided to add it in. It is so easy some days to focus on the down side of life and take for granted the things one ought to be grateful for. Sometimes you can’t even recognize the things you should be grateful for unless you take the time out to really focus on you day and identify them.

I am glad you are enjoying Bobbi’s blog, like you I am in stitches half the time when I am reading it. My sister and I particularly loved the one about not being well endowed mainly because we could relate well to that.

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Who is behind 365 Less Things?

My name is Colleen, I currently reside in Newcastle Australia. I am a forty something year old mother of two grown children and in my third decade of being wife to my darling hubby. I love traveling, art and craft, spending time with friends and family and volunteering my time to help others.

My parents taught me well to make, mend, mingle and manage so being frugal, friendly and fun loving would describe me fairly well. I can also be opinionated, outspoken and defensive at times but hey no one is perfect. I look forward to getting to know you as well so join our friendly community here at 365 Less Things where we, that is Cindy, the readers and myself, share opinions, advice and lots of friendly encouragement.

Who is behind 365 Less Things?

My name is Colleen, I currently reside in Newcastle Australia. I am a forty something year old mother of two grown children and in my third decade of being wife to my darling hubby. I love traveling, art and craft, spending time with friends and family and volunteering my time to help others.

My parents taught me well to make, mend, mingle and manage so being frugal, friendly and fun loving would describe me fairly well. I can also be opinionated, outspoken and defensive at times but hey no one is perfect. I look forward to getting to know you as well so join our friendly community here at 365 Less Things where we, that is Cindy, the readers and myself, share opinions, advice and lots of friendly encouragement.

Join our Community

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